The Chosen

Chapter 8

Once again, I wake up to people standing over me. I passed out. Again. This is just great. My eyelids open and close for a while before I actually begin to wake up. I look up and see that we are in the same place under the school. So it wasn't a dream. There really were people trying to attack Haven Academy.
"Finally she's awake. Amethyst are you okay? You passed out" Esmeray says, now sitting next to me.
"I'm fine. I just thought it was all a dream. Guess not"
"We reacted the same way you did when we first heard about the Trenchers."
"And to be honest, Haydn probably reacted worse than you" Cade says laughing. I can tell he is trying to make me feel better.
"Oh shut up you liar. He's lying amethyst" Haydn says coming closer to me.
I let out a laugh.
"There she is" he says smiling.
"I'm okay now guys, really" I half meant that. I still have so many unanswered questions but for now, it can wait.
"What's going on up there?" I ask.
"It's about over now I think. It's fine silent" Cade says looking up at the ceiling.
"It is. The Chosen definitely sent those Trenchers away." Esmeray says
"The Chosen?" I ask.
"The top rankers of the forth and fifth years. And obviously the instructors here helped as well." she tells me.
"Oh wait but what abo-" I am cut off by Sage and Molly running over to my bed.
"Oh thank god you guys are okay" Molly sighs in relief.
"Hey guys" I say.
"One second I was dancing, and the next loud sirens are blasting in my eardrums" Molly tells us.
"Ya really terrible timing. I was finally talking to Jace" Sage says groaning. "We were even gonna leave the dance early and go back to his room. He has his own room. But then he had to go and save the world I guess."
"Christ, why does he get his own room?" Haydn asks annoyed.
"Because he's a chosen, duh. I hope he's okay up there" she says.
"Maybe the dance interrupting you guys is a blessing in disguise. He was surely just going to fuck you, then leave." Molly says looking at Sage.
"What do you mean?" She asks.
"I mean, common. Say you did go to his room. You guys end up having sex, and you think it's all amazing, until he ignores you and acts like nothing ever happened"
"Jeez Molly. That was harsh" Sage says. She looks hurt.
"He does it with every girl he gets with Sage" she says.
"Okay maybe before. But we talked about a bunch of things. Sex wasn't even in the conversation" Sage says, almost like she is trying to convince both us and herself.
"You can do so much better than an asshole like Jace" Esmeray says placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah" Sage mutters.
After some time passes. One of the instructors comes down to the basement, announcing that it is sage to go back upstairs. Everyone begins making their way towards the door. Once it is our turn to go up, I look to my side. I look out the windows, seeing how trashed the outside of the academy is. Burnt trees and bushes, scraps of garbage, and a few people laying on the ground are visible. They are wearing all black, thick armor, with a clear plastic mask covering their eyes, and a black mask around their mouths.
"Holy shit, are those people dead!" I ask, not taking my eyes off them.
"Yes, but those are just Trenchers" Esmeray tells me.
"Okay but they're still dead! How is this not crazy to you"
"Amethyst, those are bad people, who just tried attacking us all. Of course they need to be defeated one way or another."
"If this is what we're being trained for, I want out. I don't kill people under any circumstances" It is true. I couldn't hurt a fly, especially a fucking human being.
"You will learn that the world is better without people like Trenchers. They're a danger to society"
"But to kill? That's just not me."
Classes were cancelled for the next couple of days to clean up the mess outside. I use these days to contemplate what I'm even doing here. I debate on wether or not I should leave. Wait, I can't leave so that's not an option. Maybe I can run away. Yeah, that's just stupid. But it's not like I can stay here. There is no way I'm killing or hurting anyone. What astonished me the most is how my own friends were willing to do that. How could they? Did they have no conscious? My mind was going crazy with all of these thoughts. I barely ate over these days, let alone get out of bed or talk to anyone. I am emotionally and mentally drained from the past couple of days. Tayla checks in on me.
"Hey you good? You've been distant" she says sitting on my bed.
"Just overwhelmed with everything I guess"
"Like what?" She asks.
"What happened Friday, and other things"
"Other things? What other things?"
"I- I just can't wrap my head around the fact that you guys are totally fine with killing and hurting people. I mean, it's absurd!" I raise my voice.
"Amethyst-" Esmeray begins. But I wasn't finished.
"Do you not have any morals!? It's crazy to me that you were barely phased from the situation!"
"Okay, you want to know why Trenchers getting killed doesnt "phase" me?" she asks, staring me dead in the eye.
I raise my eyebrows, waiting for her to go on.
"It's because those monsters killed my parents when I was 7. I was thrown into a foster home with no explanation, where I was completely disregarded. No one cared or looked after me for me except for myself. Not until I was 15, did I finally get the chance to learn about those damn trenchers and what they did. Because of this academy, I get to get revenge on them. Get justice for my parents deaths. And that is why I could give less than a fuck if any of them die." She says as her eyes start watering.
"I'm so sorry, I had no idea. I feel horrible."
"How could you have known. You're the first person I've told."
"I won't tell anyone, promise" I pull her into a hug. Just from that story, I knew she had been through hell and back her whole life. She had no one. Well, she does now. Me. And I wasn't going anywhere.